Gift Hunt
by Suffering Angel
Summary: It'll be the first birthday Wanda gets to celebrate for her boys since she got back. The problem is - what to get them?


I don't own anything that has to do with any group of Avengers ever

* * *

**_Gift Hunt_**

For a moment in time, Pietro Maximoff couldn't be happier or prouder. He was minding his own business when his beloved sister came to him for help- to him! Even when she had her Avengers to seek counsel from! Of course, he was only too happy to be of service, and so he agreed to oblige, whatever she would ask for. Wanda's relief betrayed little of what was to come.

"You've had experience with teenagers in the academy, didn't you? Then you probably know..."  
The mere thought that his time as a glorified babysitter could actually be of use to him in this manner was something Pietro never dared imagine. However, his happiness was quite short-lived as his sister finished the question, eyes wide and filled with hope and expectations.

"Pietro, what's a 'Pikachu'?"

–

It was a sensation Wanda had long since forgotten, a sense of urgency mixed with excitement and happiness. Billy and Tommy's birthday was fast approaching, and so their spiritual-mother was rather preoccupied with trying to find them gifts. She had every intention of making up for lost time, to give them all the gifts she always wanted to, but that proved to be more problematic than she thought at first. For starters, Billy and Tommy weren't children anymore, so most of Wanda's ideas were, to put it gently - irrelevant. Not only did she never shop for teenagers, either, but the crusade brought home the plain, tragic truth that for all her good intentions, Wanda didn't really know her children.  
Every idea she came up with was rejected for a plethora of reasons ranging from self-deprecating to paranoid. Were they even into _that_, did they already have _this_? Was it some big no-no she wasn't aware of? So many questions, it was almost enough to make her lose hope. This, if nothing else, she couldn't afford to mess up, after all. Not for her children.  
It was then she realized a valid solution was in fact at hand, or at least, a lead. Billy and Tommy had friends, didn't they? Their own group of Avengers? Why not ask them?

–

So it came that Wanda found herself at a local cafe. If people recognized her at all they kept that to themselves, something the witch was quite grateful for. She occasionally glanced at her watch, berated herself for being so early, and ordered another cup of tea. She just received her order when the small bell above the door rang, making her glance up like she did every time she heard the sound. This time, she saw what she hoped for, and pursed her lips nervously. The two newcomers looked around until they spotted her, now on her feet and waving hesitatingly.  
They exchanged glances and approached. She was a young woman in her early twenties, born into wealth that didn't blind her sense of justice. How she carried herself always left Wanda in awe. He towered above her, stature and build both impressive but doing little to hide the warmth and gentleness in his eyes. People like her could also see pain, but she well respected his desires not to dwell on it. After all, these were her sons' best friends - one of them being also a bit _more_... yes, Wanda appreciated Kate Bishop and Teddy Altman more than she ever let anyone know.

Brief glances were exchanged before they all sat down. A moment was given for them to place their own orders, during which Wanda did her best to put order into her thoughts and to brace herself.

"You come here often?" The question, voiced by the young lady, caught Wanda by surprise. For a moment she wasn't sure how to take it, but then decided to accept it for what it was - an attempt at small talk to break the ice.

"Not as much as I'd like to, I'm afraid, but occasionally, yes. With Carol."

"Aren't we infringing on her territory, then?" Teddy asked with just enough playfulness to show he was mostly joking. Wanda smiled brightly back.

"I won't tell if you won't."

An honest-enough laugh was shared just before their orders arrived. The mother held her hands tightly together on the table and stared at them for a moment.  
"I won't stall. The reason I called you here is-"

"Billy and Tommy." Teddy interjected.

"Their birthday, most likely." Kate continued and wiped some foam from the corner of her mouth. "There aren't many other things tying us to you, Wanda."

"And the timing _is_ kind of incriminating." Teddy chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck.  
Wanda nodded, feeling silly.

"I suppose that's true." She concluded. "I'll get to business, then." She nodded and rested both palms on the table as she gave the two a look that was a cross between stern and pleading.  
"I need help... choosing presents."

The look the two exchanged now was knowing and sympathetic and more than a bit bitter.

"Tell us about it."

"Ugh, those two are _infuriating_!" Kate exclaimed. "Tommy keeps dropping hints about things he wants, only to show up with it the next day. I get he's a speedster with a _job _but this is ridiculous!"

Teddy nodded in agreement before frowning. "Billy's not any better. The next thing to come out of his mouth after a thankfully non-magical 'I want it!' is 'what's my PayPal password again?'"

Wanda found herself smiling despite the two's obvious frustrations. They were talking about her sons, after all, telling her what they were like. She was grateful.

"Maybe we'll just get them that jumbo cake again like last year..."

"Yes, because _that_ was such a brilliant success."

Wanda blinked at their pained, hollow looks. She was torn between asking and never bringing it up again.

"Why not take them out for dinner?" Kate followed up like nothing happened. "I'm sure they'll behave if you're there."

"Or take them out somewhere else, to a movie for instance, that always does the trick." Teddy pitched in. Wanda seemed thoughtful, though cautious.

"Is there any place they would both agree on?"

The younger two exchanged looks again.

"There was that one place-"

"That you won't go to for a birthday dinner-"

"And anywhere else they'd never admit openly to agreeing about without being passive-aggressive..."

Kate snorted and shook her head. "No one gets under their skins quite like each other..."

"That's twins for you."

Wanda's smile widened again, and not just because she found that statement all too easy to relate to. It didn't last, though, instead giving way to a frown.  
"I don't know, it all sounds so... _mundane_." She stated after a moment of waving her hands, as though hoping the right word would just come to her by chance. "It's the first birthday I get to celebrate for them in years... _years_! I-"  
At the lost gazes she found directed at her she took a deep breath and regained her composure. When she spoke next, her voice was soft and her demeanor subdued.  
"I want it to be _special_."

The word preceded a long, weighed silence, one that left Wanda confused. Kate ran her finger over the edge of her cup before taking long, measured sips. Teddy just stared ahead at nothing, almost as though listening to the cafe's background noise. The older Avenger looked from one to the other, not sure what brought this about. This wasn't just silent thinking, this was... _sad_...  
Thankfully, she didn't have to break the silence.

"It doesn't matter." Teddy said finally, voice soft yet heavy. It made Wanda uneasy, and it only got worse when he gave her that look, lonely yet oh so warm, as though he was genuinely happy while being in so much pain. "You could get them a pair of _socks_ and it'll be _special_. Nothing you give them and mean it can be 'mundane'. You're their _mom_."

The truth, simple yet powerful, hit Wanda like a punch to the gut. She stared at Teddy, who was no longer able to look back. Kate reached for him, hand rubbing circles over his back. She didn't look as shaken, but only by a small margin. Wanda felt several shades of embarrassed, yet at the same time couldn't deny that Teddy was right. She stared down at her hands, clenched on her lap, and finally let out a sigh that took with it much of her pent up frustrations.

"In that case..." She said at last rather sheepishly. "What's their shoe size?"

Kate snorted. Teddy smiled in quite an exhausted way.

–

"What are we, five?!" Tommy complained quite obligatorily at the gifts. They each received a thick, baggy jumper and a teddy bear. The bears were black and white, and accompanied a black-and-red, and green jumpers, respectively.  
If he was honest with himself though Tommy had to admit he was hyping about his bear's orange goggles as much as Billy adored his own bear's cape, and the jumper was one of the most comfortable things he wore in quite a while. Not a bad haul from the Scarlet Mom, he figured and chewed on some cake. Not a bad haul at all.


End file.
